


Breath of the Dragon: Part 2

by 18lzytwner



Series: Wicked Third Series [3]
Category: Wicked - All Media Types, Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-19
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2019-07-03 01:36:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 17,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15808662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/18lzytwner/pseuds/18lzytwner
Summary: Our story continues from Breath of the Dragon. Elphaba must find who helped Burcin along with dealing with the Wizard's attempts to have her visit him. Fiyero tries to cope but finds that he simply can't. Then there's the little matter of the blood oath with the dragon... Fiyeraba and Aslinda!





	1. Chapter 1

The trial for King Haluk's killer did not last long. Between Elphaba and Captain Asli's testimony regarding the body of the King, the attack perpetrated on a pregnant Lady Glinda, and the fact that a Bird had flown in a letter from Queen Adalet and Prince Fiyero regarding the fact that Burcin had confessed in front of multiple people to the murder of the King and to using the Wizard to do some of her dirty work, the jury took longer to file in and out of the jury room than they did to make a decision.

The verdict hit the papers the next day. Burcin was guilty of murder, assault, and aiding and abetting a fugitive. She was to be sentenced that afternoon as Elphaba made her way down to Southstairs. The place gave her the heebeegeebees and she was glad that she didn't have to stay there long. She was also glad that Chistery had come with her.

"I'm giving you one last chance," Elphaba said as she now stood outside Burcin's cell.

"For what? Redemption? I won't shy away from what is coming," Burcin smirked, ever defiant.

"Tell me who helped you murder the King and maybe you'll get life without parole," Elphaba told her.

"Give me a break. I'm practically eighty. My life won't be long anyway in this prison. Besides who would have helped me do it huh?" Burcin was obviously not interested in a lesser sentence.

"Someone had to. You have all that power at your fingertips, you would not have needed a gun to torture and kill King Haluk," the green woman pointed out.

"What if I did in an effort to throw people off the trail?" Burcin asked.

"Out there? No one would have stumbled across that body for at least the next thirty years. You would have seen to it until your death," Elphaba replied. The prisoner sat silent, either weighing her options or out of witty comebacks.

"You have until you walk into that courtroom to change your mind. Once you're inside your protective cell, I will not help you. The judge will make the final decision. He took it away from the jury, knowing that they would not be impartial," the green woman told her and with that, she turned to leave, Chistery right behind her.

As they made their way down the hall, the guards stopped her and said that the Wizard had been asking for her. It was odd, certainly, but Elphaba listened to what the guards had to say about her biological father. The secret of their relationship was out and instead of making people turn on Elphaba (as she had suspected they would), they had turned on their formerly beloved Wizard. He'd been pelted with rotten fruits and vegetables when he was being led to the courthouse. It seemed that after everything that had transpired, they realized that the Wizard was not the one they should have been following.

"Miss Elphaba, I do not think it a very good idea to speak with your father," Chistery spoke up once the guards had finished their piece.

"Ordinarily, I would agree but without the powers that Burcin gave him, he is nothing more than an ordinary man. If I cannot face him then I do not have much to say for myself," she told him.

"If I may, Lady Elphaba, it seems like he is rather upset with himself. I personally think you owe him nothing and should let him rot but perhaps there is something he needs to say. He is being charged for the attack he attempted on the Vinkus along with all the crimes he committed as the Wizard. The only way out of this place for him is death, whether it is state commissioned or not," one of the guards named Sam said.

"I appreciate your candor but you do have a point. Death is the only way out for him and I will speak to him if only for a few moments," Elphaba smiled slightly. Just then Chistery grabbed her arm. She thought he was being overprotective but then he said,

"Avantador."

"What does he have to do with this?" She asked him. It was then that the ground above the underground prison shook.

"He's here," Elphaba's eyes went wide.


	2. Chapter 2

"Princess," Avantador bowed his head as she approached him, Chistery in tow. Elphaba vowed to be back later to speak with the Wizard as the dragon must have had something more pressing to attend to.

"Avantador, is everything all right? How are Fiyero and the Queen?" The green woman worried.

"As well as can be expected, I'm afraid. They sent me to make sure justice was done," he explained.

"The sentencing hearing is in a few hours. I'm not sure you showing up shows their vote of confidence in the Emerald City," Elphaba was slightly concerned.

"While I would agree with you, Queen Adalet wanted a representative here to make the Vinkun position known. She has every faith in you but you stand for both the Emerald City and the Vinkus now and Adalet wanted her speech read to the court. She knew she could not leave home to do so and wished that the judge would read it," the dragon smiled slightly and then pointed to a package from a cleverly located sling on his arm.

"Ah I see. Well I appreciate it. Would you send my regards to them? I will try to be back in a few days' time," Elphaba smiled before moving to the sling and removing the package.

"You have duties here. The Queen expects that you must keep them until Lady Glinda is ready to travel again. The doctors think another couple of days and I or the Griffins will be bringing her home," Avantador said.

"I'm glad to hear that she is doing better. Thank you for bringing this to me," she told him.

"You are most welcome. I will head back to the Vinkus and tell the Queen and the Prince that it has been delivered. Stay safe Princess," the dragon gave her a slight smile and then took to the skies. Elphaba wondered if he knew something she did not but he'd been forthcoming before so she saw no reason for him to lie now. Holding the package close, she headed back inside and Chistery wondered what was racing through her head.

"I'm going to go and see my father. You can come with if you like," she said, turning to her trusted companion.

"I must insist on it," Chistery told her. He'd always been protective of her even though it had been said that people were surprised that they were not angry with her. They had become something that was not found in nature and were feared by most until recently. Chistery had never been mad though. He knew that Morrible had really caused their plight and for that he swore to stand by Elphaba's side, protecting her as best he could, from those who sought to use her and her magical gifts.

Elphaba just smiled and they headed back into Southstairs. Both were greeted by the guard Sam who escorted them to the Wizard's cell. The green woman cleared her throat and Oscar stood up from his bed. He looked like hell, his hair matted, clothes torn, and the smell of decaying food was almost too much to take. Sam, who had left them momentarily, came walking back with a pail of water. He asked Elphaba and Chistery to step back and then proceeded to throw the bucket of water at the Wizard, hitting him squarely in the chest.

"You'll get fully cleaned up for your court appearance but right now that will have to do," he frowned at the prisoner and then left again.

"What did you want?" Elphaba asked, keeping her tone neutral, still not sure if she should trust him or not.

"I know who helped Burcin kill the King," he said.


	3. Chapter 3

"What exactly are you hoping to get for this information? How am I supposed to verify it?" Elphaba pressed him.

"I only ask that you visit me occasionally while I serve my sentence, whatever that happens to be," Oscar told her. Elphaba raised an eyebrow.

"This is something that you could use as a large bargaining chip and all you want is for me to visit you?" She asked, completely befuddled. That didn't happen often to her and she definitely did not like it.

"There is no deal you could procure for me that would sit right with the Ozian people. I think you and I both know that," the former Wizard said.

"Well that may be true but I think that giving information on who killed the Vinkun King would go a long way for them to feel better about you. A deal might be able to be done," his daughter explained.

"I'm surprised you want to help me at all to be honest," he admitted.

"It isn't for you. Fiyero and Adalet deserve closure and justice for the death of Haluk. I will do what I have to in order to get it for them," Elphaba clarified.

"Ah so it is for your new family. Well I'm sure they will appreciate your efforts," Oscar gave a slight smile.

"Even if they weren't family, justice is something everyone deserves," she retorted.

"I think you've gotten yours haven't you?" He wanted to know.

"We're not talking about me. We're talking about you. What do you really want?" Elphaba pressed.

"Just what I asked for," Oscar told her. Again his daughter gave him a look and then responded,

"I'll have to think about it."

"Don't think too long. Burcin may not be in a talking mood but once her sentence is handed down, she won't talk at all. What I have might pry her lips loose," he cautioned. With that Elphaba turned and headed toward the exit, Chistery was right behind her.

"Please fetch the Captain for me. He and I need to talk," she said.

"Yes Miss Elphaba," Chistery nodded and took to the skies while the green woman headed to her office. She needed to discuss what just transpired with the Captain as she felt uneasy. It seemed like a simple request but never had anything the Wizard asked for been simple.

Meanwhile, in the Vinkus, Avantador landed back inside the Palace walls and Fiyero greeted him from his balcony. The dragon quickly explained that Elphaba would see to the judge reading out the statement the Queen had prepared. He then asked how the Queen was doing and Fiyero only shook his head.

"She's putting on a brave face but deep down I know she's in a lot of pain. I mean her mother killed her husband. It doesn't get too much weirder than that. I don't know what to say to her," he admitted.

"Not many people would your Highness. I think all you can do is be there for her and let her cry when she needs to. How are you?" Avantador wanted to know.

"I don't honestly know. I loved my father but as of late his behavior had me almost hating him. He tried to kill Elphaba. I know that we found out why but that still hurts," Fiyero told him.

"I wish I could offer some sort of advice but I'm afraid that I have none. All you can do is heal together. The Princess misses you and wishes she could be here," the dragon told him.

"I wish she could too. I…" the Prince didn't get a chance to finish as he heard his mother let out a horrific scream. He dashed back inside, fear welling up inside him.


	4. Chapter 4

Elphaba filed into the courtroom with the lawyers and the prisoner. She had talked to her father and agreed to his terms with a few stipulations; the first being that a guard would be with her at all times and the second being that once the name was given to her, he could no longer use it to try and leverage anything out of her. Surprisingly, the Wizard agreed and then gave her the name she had been seeking. Captain Asli promised to run it down and he had not returned yet. Elphaba did not want to use it in court without verifying but it would seem she would have no choice. Suddenly, pain ripped through her head, feeling like it was splitting it in two. The green woman cried out in agony and the guards rushed forward to the prisoner while the lawyers rushed to her aid.

"Lady Elphaba what is wrong?" The prosecutor, Mr. Yuri, asked.

"Fiyero… Adalet…" were the only words she was able to get out before the next wave of pain hit her and she screamed.

"This is the witch's doing!" One of the guards shouted and he pressed the bayonet on his rifle closer to Burcin.

"Well yes and no. It's actually quiet fascinating…" the elderly woman watched Elphaba with interest.

"Take the prisoner to her cell!" Judge Willow ordered. The guards quickly moved the witch out of the room and Elphaba's pain subsided enough that she could refocus her eyes on the people around her.

"Lady Elphaba, are you all right?" The defense attorney, Bora Accente, wanted to know.

"I must fly to the Vinkus. Fiyero and his mother are in trouble," she sat up and immediately regretted it as the room spun. Bora stuck his arms out to catch her and she clamped her hands down on them with a vise-like grip.

"I don't think that's a good idea. You need to have a doctor check you over," Yuri said.

"No time. I must get to my husband," Elphaba protested.

"Surely, between the dragon and the Griffins they can handle what is happening out there," the prosecutor argued.

"They can't save his life! Chistery!" With that Elphaba forced herself up. The Flying Monkey rushed into the courtroom from the hallway and was at her side as quickly as he could be.

"I need my broom. We must fly to the Vinkus. Fiyero is in trouble," she explained. He was about to object but he saw the look in her eyes and he knew that he couldn't stop her if he tried. Carefully he scooped her up and flew out of the room, down the hallway, and out of the main doors. In moments, they were back at her office and he grabbed the broom. Elphaba did not seem stable on her feet but Chistery propped her up and once she was on the broom, she did not stand on ceremony and pressed her trusty implement into service. Chistery was right behind her to make sure she did not fall.

In the Vinkus, Fiyero had ordered the soldiers who had rushed into the room back, as a man dressed in a soldier's uniform held a dagger to Queen Adalet's throat. Avantador was frustrated at his lack of usefulness and he could tell that Baki and his group were just as frustrated.

"Let my mother go," Fiyero said.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," the man told him.

"What is it that you need? What can I help you with?" The Prince tried a different tack.

"There is no help for me now. I must finish what I started," the man replied.

"What did you start?" Fiyero asked, afraid he already knew the answer.

"The end of the Arjiki reign," the man responded and he pressed the tip of the dagger into the Queen's throat drawing some blood. Fiyero lunged at the man in an attempt to stop him.


	5. Chapter 5

Fiyero's eyes opened and he slowly realized that he was in the infirmary. Unsure of how or why he was there he went to move his head and found that suddenly the room was spinning. Slowly and calmly, he tried to breathe to slow what seemed like movement before he retched. Regrettably, he did not succeed and he tried to sit up in order to avoid making a mess on himself.

The sound of retching reached the person sleeping next to him in a chair. Quickly they reacted and caught most of what the Prince brought up though it was only bile. He could hear them call for the doctor and the nurses but he couldn't quite focus for some reason. Then just as quickly as he'd awakened, he blacked out.

What seemed like hours later, the Prince once again found his eyes opening. Memories of what had happened earlier flooded back to him and he tried not to move.

"Easy Yero. Don't move too much. You've been through a lot in the last few days," that voice was most definitely his wife's.

"Days?" He managed to croak out. Elphaba didn't answer him right away as Doctor Magi swooped in with a few nurses. The medical man quickly assessed the patient and the nurses helped to carefully stack the pillows so that he could sit up slightly and not move his head too much given what had happened last time.

"It's a long story but I am glad to see you awake. Glinda didn't want to leave but she had to get back to the Emerald City since she was finally doing better. Doctor Sebastian wants her back so he can take a look at what happened and how the baby is doing. It's still too early to get a real sense of how the little one is doing but Doctor Magi thinks that she's lucky the baby is still so small. That and there is still your grandmother to deal with," she filled him in while she helped him slowly sip some water. He frowned at the mention of his grandmother and Elphaba did not bring her up again.

"Where is my mother?" Fiyero wanted to know.

"Doing just fine and attending to business thanks to you but you have to promise me that you won't scare me like that ever again," Elphaba told him as he breathed a sigh of relief.

"What did I do?" The Prince asked, unsure why he couldn't remember anything after lunging at his mother's attacker.

"You heroically tried to stop the man attacking your mother. He let go of her and stabbed you in the stomach. When I arrived the two of you where punching each other. My only thought is that your adrenaline was pumping and keeping you from really feeling how much damage you'd suffered. He swung at your head and you didn't block fast enough. You fell but before I could do anything the troops opened fire. He's dead Fiyero and thank Oz you aren't," she leaned in and gently kissed his cheek. He gently moved his right hand and took hold of her right hand.

"I don't know what I would do without you," he smiled slightly.

"I was able to heal your stomach wound but I'm afraid the concussion won't be going away for a while. Brain injuries are something I cannot fix, at least not right now. There is no way to pinpoint treatment and a general spell could do more damage than good," Elphaba continued.

"I'll live though I'm not sure why I was out for so long," Fiyero said worriedly.

"I was worried too. Ordinarily, letting you fall asleep when you have a concussion is not a good idea but you did suffer a traumatic injury to your abdomen. Your body was just not strong enough to stay conscious. Now that's enough talking. You rest and I'll let your mother know that you're awake. I'm sure she'll want to see you," his wife smiled.

"I'm sure. I want all the details when I'm feeling better," he told her.

"I promise all the details," Elphaba vowed.


	6. Chapter 6

Two days later, a Bird landed on Queen Adalet's desk. She smiled as he handed her a note, explaining that it was from Lady Glinda and Captain Asli. The queen offered him food and rest while she carefully crafted a reply. The Bird was most grateful and flew out of the office and down to the stables.

Adalet read and reread the note from the blonde. There was a finality about it but she wondered of she'd ever truly come to grips with what had occurred as of late. Heaving a sigh, she wrote up the portion of the note that she wanted and went to find her daughter-in-law in case she wanted to add anything. Then she would be off to the infirmary to talk to Fiyero.

Having checked the room the married couple shared and finding it having not been slept in, she moved to the library which was also empty. Moving to the nearest balcony that faced the outer palace walls, Adalet spoke to Avantador, who admitted he had not seen the green woman. He promised to ask the Griffins and see if they had. The Queen waited for him to check and enjoyed the warm air and sun. The seasons would be shifting soon as fall approached and she knew the holidays would be soon behind.

"The Griffins have not seen her either, my Queen. I have found things are always in the last place you look though," Avantador smiled.

"Agreed. Thank you for trying," Adalet smiled back and headed inside. Moving throughout the palace, she finally reached the infirmary. Doctor Magi had a big smile on his face and she gave him a puzzled look. All he did was to gesture to head toward her son's bed. As Adalet approached, she quickly realized that her son's skin was not green and he did not have long ebony hair.

There curled up in the small twin bed together were her son and daughter-in-law. How they managed to sleep like that in such a small bed was a wonder but shaking her head, Adalet gently shook Elphaba's shoulder. The green woman's eyes slowly opened and she realized who was standing in front of her.

"Five more minutes…" Fiyero mumbled next to her, which earned him an elbow in the ribs. He jolted awake, though careful to not move around too much.

"What do you need?" Elphaba asked.

"This letter arrived from Glinda. Also, it's almost lunchtime. I think you need to be getting out of bed," Adalet smirked.

"I'm not sure how much sleep we really got," the words were out of the green woman's mouth before she could stop herself.

"Oh really? I would have thought that Doctor Magi would have frowned upon such things in public," the Queen said. Elphaba's eyes went wide, realizing how it had sounded.

"That's really not what I meant," she hurriedly apologized.

"I know dear. I would have expected that you wouldn't still be wearing the dress you wore yesterday," Adalet chuckled. Fiyero couldn't help but smirk. It was good to hear his mother joking.

"Glinda sent a letter?" Elphaba tried to change the subject.

"She did, via Bird. I'm crafting a response and wondered if you needed to add anything," the Queen handed her the piece of paper she had written on along with the original note. Elphaba carefully read the note and then looked up at her mother-in-law.

"What's it say?" Fiyero asked.

"Your grandmother was executed yesterday afternoon. She refused to give up the name of her accomplices and her final words were filled with venom for the people of Oz. I'm so very sorry," his wife explained. He heaved a sigh and frowned.

"She was no longer the mother or grandmother we once knew. Her hatred had consumed her beyond anyone imagining. I am only sorry that she involved you and Haluk in her attempt to rid Oz of the Wizard," Adalet told her.

"I am used to being used. I do not worry about myself as much as I worry for you and for Yero," Elphaba reached behind her and took her husband's hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. The Queen just moved closer and pulled her into a hug.

"I am forever in your debt Miss Elphaba. You have done so much and you do not even know it," Adalet said as she released her. The green woman stood, releasing her grip on Fiyero and smiling slightly. She looked at both of them and said,

"It is I who am in your debt. You and Fiyero have taken me in despite everything. You are more my family than anyone outside of Glinda has been. Without you two and Glinda, I fear I would not be here today."

"You are stronger than you think and braver than you believe, Elphaba. Never forget that. You will always have a home here with Fiyero and myself," at this point tears were welling up in Adalet's eyes and the two women hugged again.

"Don't I get a hug?" Fiyero asked, trying to lighten the mood. Both ladies laughed and moved to either side of the bed, giving him a big hug.

"If Grandmother refused to give up her accomplices, do you think there are more than the one I fought?" He asked after they separated.

"I find it highly unlikely she intended to take on the Wizard with only a few Griffins and one accomplice," Elphaba admitted.

"I've had Sergeant Licek looking into our attempted murderer. So far he is struggling to find a connection to a larger group but my guess is that my mother kept them well hidden," Adalet told them.

"So from what I've gathered, Grandmother surrendered with the intention of harming us while Fae was dealing with her back in the Emerald City. It fell apart because Fae's powers warned her of the danger. Still it almost worked," Fiyero shook his head and immediately regretted it. Elphaba quickly helped him laydown and he closed his eyes.

"Chistery and the Griffins have been trying to help the Sergeant by flying over areas of the woods looking for a camp or some sort of area where people would congregate but no luck. Still I think it wise to keep our guard up," the Queen said.

"Agreed," Elphaba nodded.


	7. Chapter 7

Later in the evening, Elphaba went for a walk to the stables. Chistery popped out of the window in the room the Queen had given him to stay in. He landed near the green woman and she smiled slightly.

"I never thanked you properly for helping me the other day. Things have been a little out of control the last few days," she admitted.

"No thanks needed Miss Elphaba. Though I must ask why you are heading to the stables after dinner. You intend to go out?" Chistery asked.

"Oh no. I have a few questions for the Griffins. They might be the key to finding out if there are more people who would fight against the Wizard, I mean my father," she corrected herself. She was still unsure if she'd really ever get used to calling him that.

"They might but from what I understand Burcin never really told them much. Seems she kept them in the dark as much as possible," the Flying Monkey said as they reached the stable doors.

"In an effort to protect them perhaps. She really cared. It is a shame she could not get past her hate," Elphaba sighed. Chistery nodded and the green woman knocked on the big wooden door.

"Good evening Princess. What brings you here this evening?" The stable boy, whom Elphaba had come to know as Mazhar, smiled at her and Chistery.

"I need to speak with Baki and the others if they are able," she smiled back.

"Of course," Mazhar opened the door and let them in. He then ran ahead and alerted the Griffins who were enjoying some downtime together. They quickly moved out of the back of the stable and toward their guests. There was a large space near the front of the building which would allow them to be comfortable to talk.

"I am sorry to interrupt you but I have some questions and I was hoping that you could answer them," Elphaba apologized.

"It is no trouble at all, Princess. Please take a seat. Things are not as fancy as in the palace, I'm afraid," Baki said as Mazhar offered her a stool.

"I'm still not used to fancy so it's quite all right," Elphaba smiled. Chistery gratefully took the stool offered to him as well and Mazhar left them alone to talk.

"What is it you had on your mind? Efe wanted to know.

"Well I was wondering if Burcin ever mentioned other human collaborators. You confirmed that you knew the man who murdered Private Koray for his uniform, Mehmet Yilmaz. You never met any others?" She asked.

"Regrettably, no. She was keeping us in the dark apparently. Maybe it was to protect us. Maybe it was because she had some bigger plan that we never knew about. Burcin was many things and one of them was certainly a manipulator," Dilan spoke up.

"It seems odd because she had to have more than one person helping her. If she fully intended to take on the Wizard, one man, and six Griffins would be no match for the Gale Force. You would have most certainly been killed, even if you took as many of them with you as you could," Elphaba heaved a sigh.

"Sergeant Licek was thinking the same thing. We told him what we have told you. You'll have to forgive me Princess but why did you really come here?" Feray raised an eyebrow.

"Licek is a good man but he will protect the Queen and Fiyero as much as he can from the truth about Burcin. In turn, he will not tell me, figuring I would tell them. He means well but I worry that the path to hell is paved with his good intentions," the witch said.

"Point taken," Baki nodded.

"Princess!" Avantador's voiced boomed from outside.

"That can't be good," Chistery said. Elphaba gave him a worried look and quickly headed outside, the six Griffins and the Flying Monkey followed. Quickly, Baki let her climb up upon his back and he flew her towards the dragon as the others followed.

"What is it Avantador?" She asked.

"Look to the horizon," he pointed his claws toward the mountains in the distance. There could been seen a line of torches burning bright in the waning sunlight. It seemed to go on for forever.

"Do you hear that?" Baki asked. Elphaba shook her head; her human ears were not as good as the Griffins' or the dragon's.

"Drums of war, Princess. Drums of war," Efe spoke up. Elphaba turned to Chistery and said,

"Get back to the Emerald City. Glinda must know what is going on here. The group out at the mountains won't reach us before dawn but it is obvious they do not care that we know they are coming."

"Be careful Miss Elphaba. I will be back as quickly as I can with my brothers and sisters," he promised and then was off into the skies.

"Baki, take me to the wall. We must rally the troops and alert the Queen and Fiyero," Elphaba told him. The Griffin nodded and headed for the Palace walls while Efe quickly went for the nearest balcony to warn those inside the Palace.

"Begin the evacuation of the lower town. All those outside these walls are in grave danger," Queen Adalet ordered him once he explained what was going on.

"Yes, your Majesty," he nodded and took off for the gates where he quickly explained the situation to guards. The warning bell was rung and everyone began to grab what little they had and head for the safety of the Palace walls.

"We're in for a long fight," Elphaba worried as her eyes kept scanning the horizon and the torches seemed to just continue to make their way out of the mountains.

"They march so boldly. I wonder if they know I am here or that our winged friends have joined our side," Avantador said.

"It's possible they don't but I think we all know that when one has a cause they believe in, one fights like a cornered animal to keep it from being destroyed. No offense," the green woman frowned at the prospect.

"None taken. If these fighters belong to Burcin we are most definitely in for it," Baki said.


	8. Chapter 8

Chistery landed with a thud outside of Glinda and Asli's room on the balcony. He had been beating his wings for hours and now the evening had turned into night. His wings ached but his thoughts were focused on Elphaba and her safety more than his own body. The balcony doors opened and the Captain, dressed in a robe, rushed to the semi-collapsed monkey and lifted him up.

"Where is Elphaba? What has happened?" Asli knew that if the green woman was not with the Flying Monkey that it meant trouble.

"Captain! Hoards march toward the Vinkun Palace! They are beating war drums!" Chistery managed to get out between breaths.

"We'll never reach them in time. What can be done?" The Captain wanted to know.

"The Griffins and Avantador have sworn their allegiance to the Queen and the Vinkus but I doubt that it matters to those who march. Miss Elphaba figured that they march because Burcin never returned to them. I have promised to return with help," the Flying Monkey said.

"You're in no condition to go anywhere. You must have been flying at a good clip, I've never seen you so out of breath," Asli told him.

"I cannot leave Miss Elphaba without help!" Chistery argued.

"She has the Vinkun army, her powers, Griffins, and a dragon! If they cannot handle it, we're all in trouble. I will rally the troops and we will make all due haste to their aid," the Captain tried to reassure him. He then headed inside and Chistery followed him. Glinda hugged the Flying Monkey and he noticed that she suddenly seemed more pregnant. He of course did not say anything, not wanting to offend her. Perhaps it was just because she was finally far enough along to start showing.

"I'm going with you," she said to them.

"As much as I would love that, you know what the doctor said; bed rest and taking it easy. You're carrying the future leader of all of Oz while recovering from a nasty wound," Asli shook his head while he got dressed.

"But…" the blonde tried to protest.

"The Captain is right. Miss Elphaba would never forgive me if I brought you along. We do not know what danger we face," Chistery spoke up.

"What am I supposed to do while you're gone?" Glinda wanted to know.

"Sound the alarm to your parents. They may have company if something goes awry or the enemy tries to flee," Asli said.

"I'll make sure Momsy and Popsicle close the borders," she nodded and quickly headed out of the room and down to her office. If the matter hadn't been so urgent the two left in the room might have reminded her that she was in her bathrobe. The two quickly headed downstairs to sound the alarm.

Meanwhile, Elphaba stood at the wall watching the evacuation of the lower town. Things were moving along despite the fact that for many it was past their bedtimes. She could hear footsteps next to her and she turned.

"Yero! You should be in bed!" She couldn't believe he'd conned a soldier to helping him to the wall.

"Oh no. Everyone is in trouble. Bed is not where I belong," he said.

"Private, can he hold himself up?" Elphaba asked. The Private looked at the Prince and then back at the Princess; afraid that no matter what he said, he'd get himself into trouble.

"You just answered my question," the green woman shook her head.

"I am commander-in-chief of the troops. My place is here," Fiyero argued.

"You're concussed. You belong in bed," Elphaba put her hands on her hips.

"Only if you're coming with me," he teased.

"Private, escort the Prince back to the infirmary. I'll deal with him later," she huffed.

"I bet you will," the Private said before clamping his free hand over his mouth, realizing the words had been spoken aloud. Elphaba smirked and just waved them away. Fiyero tried to hold his ground but the Private was stronger than he currently was and dragged him away; the Prince trying to object the whole way.

"You must admire his spirit," Avantador said.

"I do and I would prefer it stay in his body for as long as possible. There are going to be good people who are going to be facing one of the worst things people can face and you and I both know there will be many who won't survive," she sighed.

"We will do all we can to prevent it but you are right. It will be unavoidable," the dragon sighed.

"The lower town is fully evacuated! Close the gates!" Came shouting from below.

"Now we ready for battle," Elphaba frowned.


	9. Chapter 9

The morning sunshine did little to assuage Elphaba's fears. The hoards moving toward the Palace had continued to move through the night and she began to wonder if they weren't magically enchanted. Burcin was a very powerful witch and though she was dead, there are some spells that not even she could reverse.

"They'll be at our gates within the hour. Our spies give them at least five thousand men. No heavy artillery but each man has a rifle and some have bows and arrows," Sergeant Licek explained to both she and the Queen. The two women were standing on the balcony attached to the Queen's room. Adalet had been dressed in her battle armor and despite the warnings from her troops and Elphaba and Fiyero, she intended to go into battle.

"They vastly outnumber us. I have sent word to the troops stationed to the south of us. They have promised to march up the rear. Perhaps if we encircle them, then they will give up rather than die," Adalet mused.

"How many do they outnumber us by? How many troops from the south are coming?" Elphaba asked.

"We are two thousand strong here with men being recruited from the lower town so maybe twenty-five hundred. There are a thousand men coming from the south. They should be arriving soon. The garrison is only an hour by horse from here. I warned them to take the back roads to avoid running into our friends out there," she explained.

"Excellent decision. Before anyone fires a shot, I'd like to see if Avantador can scare them into retreat. Maybe no one has to die today," the Princess said.

"Pardon me for saying so but that sounds a bit naïve," Licek told her.

"It is but perhaps they thought the stories of a dragon were just rumors. When they see him in the flesh, it might be a different story," Elphaba shrugged.

"It is not a bad idea. Have him move outside the gates. Perhaps his true size will make them realize just whom they are messing with," Adalet said.

"Now the other thing that has been bothering me is where they have all come from. Are they Vinkun? Perhaps from Gillikin? Or Quadling Country? Maybe even the Emerald City herself?" The green woman wondered.

"The unfortunate scenario is that most of them are probably Vinkun. Trained in the art of war and more than willing to take up arms if they feel they are threatened. Of course there are those who wish to see the Arjiki removed from power as well," the Queen sighed.

"Either way, we must prepare for battle. I will tell Avantador to move and I will ready the troops," Licek told them.

"Tell Avantador to not hold back. These troops could be enchanted or hexed or just really really motivated but either way, I doubt they will hold back," Elphaba said. Licek nodded and headed outside.

"Flying Monkeys!" A shout came from below and both ladies looked up.

"Chistery came through!" Elphaba smiled. The lead Monkey landed on the balcony and bowed. Immediately, Elphaba knew it wasn't Chistery.

"We are here to aid you Miss Elphaba. Chistery sends his regards but he was exhausted and Captain Asli would not let him fly without rest," Ashok said.

"Thank you Ashok. Please join Baki and the Griffins. What news of the Emerald City?" She wanted to know.

"Lady Glinda has warned the Gillikin of what goes on. Captain Asli marches with Chistery and troops in your direction," he explained.

"Again thank you," Elphaba smiled at him and then he took flight, leading the others to the Griffins. Just then Adalet and Elphaba turned their attention to the walls surrounding the Palace as the sound of the drums ceased. Avantador position himself for a fight before saying,

"If you wish to live, I suggest you leave. If not then be prepared to meet your maker." Elphaba hoped his words would have some affect but they did not as the troops raised their weapons.

"Fine, have it your way," Avantador shrugged before belching fire.


	10. Chapter 10

Chistery flew in over the Vinkun Palace to find destruction. He could easily spot Avantador and the Griffins along with his fellow Flying Monkeys picking through the battlefield outside the Palace walls. Inside the walls, bodies, equipment, and debris laid everywhere. The stench of death was in the air and he quickly landed near his brethren.

"Ashok!" Chistery approached his friend and discovered his wing bandaged.

"Chistery! Thank Oz you have come. Where are the rest of the troops?" Ashok asked.

"Not far behind. I was only scouting ahead. What are you doing out here?" He wanted to know.

"Cleaning up. Any wounded that remain are being brought inside the walls. All the dead are being transported with their belongings further away from the Palace. We could be dealing with a lot of disease if we don't," Ashok explained.

"What of Miss Elphaba?" Chistery swallowed hard.

"Inside the walls," he said. Chistery thanked him and quickly headed to the gates and the soldiers quickly let him pass. He was picking his way through the grounds, surprised at the damage done. The troops who had been attacking had vast numbers but he expected there to be less casualties seeing as Miss Elphaba and Avantador could strike massive blows and allow for things to end quickly. Something must have gone terribly wrong.

Someone screaming in pain shook him from his thoughts and he redirected himself toward it. Soon he discovered a tent that had obviously been setup as a field hospital. He made his way inside and the sight disturbed him. Victims inside were burned, bloodied, and broken.

"Chistery!" The familiar yet weakened voice of his friend called to him and he moved to find her. Her skin, though pale, stuck out in the mass of red and brown and the Flying Monkey easily found her.

"What happened?" He asked as he realized that she was lying on one of the hospital beds, her skin tone was more diminished than he had previously thought. The last few days of fighting had done a number on her.

"Burcin had students. Five of them. We did what we could but it ended poorly. What of the Emerald City?" She wanted to know.

"Captain Asli is not far behind with the troops and medical supplies. Are you all right?" He was concerned for his friend.

"Just exhausted. I was battling witches and assisting in whatever way I could medically. Right now my powers are kaput," Elphaba tried to reassure him.

"Chistery!" Fiyero made his way over to the Flying Monkey and his wife. He wasn't holding onto anyone which was a good sign.

"Your highness! It is good to see you up and about," he said.

"Agreed. Now if we could only get my wife better, we'd be all set," Fiyero gave a lopsided grin and turned to the aforementioned person.

"You are being transferred to the infirmary. You're not going to get any sleep out here," he said.

"What if I'm needed?" She gave him a look.

"They'll have to suck it up. You don't recover and I don't know what I'll do," it was Fiyero's turn for a stern look. Surprisingly, she only nodded her head and the Prince scooped her up and out of the bed. Chistery immediately grew more concerned seeing as his friend did not put up much of a fight.

"Gale Force at the gates!" Came a shout from a soldier at the opening to the hospital tent. Chistery headed back outside and met Captain Asli not far from the entrance to the Palace grounds.

"Dear Oz Almighty," Asli breathed.

"Miss Elphaba informs me that things went sideways," the Flying Monkey said.

"Couldn't have gone too sideways, they won," the Captain pointed out.

"Captain! It is good to see you," Sergeant Licek walked up to them, his arm in a sling.

"And you my friend. What can we do to render assistance?" Asli wanted to know.

"Anyone with medical training and any supplies you brought with you are desperately needed in the hospital tent. We could use some bolstering of the prison camp we've set up for the POWs and then there is cleanup," Licek told him. Asli turned to his troops and said,

"Sergeant Licek's orders are my orders. Do as he requires of you."

"Sir, yes sir!" The troops shouted back and saluted before they were dispersed to the locations they were needed.

"How fairs the Royal family?" The Captain asked.

"I'll take you to the Queen," Licek nodded.


	11. Chapter 11

That evening Adalet had Asli and his immediate subordinates attend dinner with Fiyero and herself. Elphaba was still resting and though the Prince had not wanted to leave her side, Doctor Magi had insisted he eat something. The poor medical man had been on his feet all day attending the wounded and dinner was the first time he'd be sitting down for more than five minutes in the past twelve hours.

"Is everyone accounted for?" Adalet asked as the chef began bringing out the meal.

"Avantador said that he and the Griffins have cleared the field of the dead. He is starting fires so that they may be disposed of. All Vinkun troops are accounted for," Asli informed her.

"Where does that leave us?" She wanted to know.

"Out of thirty-five hundred, you have five hundred wounded and seven hundred and fifty dead," the Captain explained.

"It would have been much worse if not for Avantador, the Griffins, and the Flying Monkeys," Fiyero said.

"Agreed," Asli nodded.

"How many of the enemy, remain?" Adalet inquired.

"Our spies were pretty close on their estimate. As far as we can figure, they started with forty-five hundred, and are now down to the thousand we hold captive," Sergeant Licek told them.

"A lot of people died and I do not know if it was worth it," Asli shook his head.

"It only showed the entirety of Oz that the Vinkus and the Arjiki remain strong. Those that were captured how do they breakdown?" The Queen asked.

"Regrettably, you were right. Most of those in our custody were from other Vinkun tribes. Some are from Gillikin and there are a few Quadlings dotted here and there," Licek heaved a sigh.

"We must determine if they were of their own minds and bodies or if Burcin's students forced them to fight. I'll not accuse people of treason if they had no say in the matter," Adalet said.

"That is a slippery slope, if you'll pardon me for saying so," Asli pointed out.

"I would agree with the Captain. It may show weakness and despite such a decisive victory," Lieutenant Nihil, leader of the Vinkun soldiers from the south, spoke up.

"Am I to execute all one thousand? What does that say?" The Queen argued.

"That will certainly not win the heart of the people," Fiyero said.

"Perhaps it is something to table until all of the wounded are treated and the further determination of their role in the war is made. There is only one student left of Burcin's and it is without question that she will hold the answers. Perhaps once faced with the truth and the consequences of her actions, she will show us the path forward," Doctor Magi said in between bites.

"Wiser words were never spoken. Elphaba is the only one qualified to handle her. Let me check on her after dinner and then we can go from there," Fiyero offered.

"You are right son. Please give her my best. I must meet with the builders and see what we can do about shoring up the walls outside the Palace," Adalet said.

"I will send word to Glinda that we are secure here. We will stay as long as we are needed," Asli told her.

"Excellent. Thank you Captain. I am waiting on word from the surrounding areas in regards to their safety and am asking no one travel to the capital, until everything is sorted out. With any luck that will be sooner rather than later, thanks to you and your men," the Queen smiled. Suddenly Chistery burst through the door, a look of terror on his face.

"Doctor Magi! We need you! Miss Elphaba won't wake up!"


	12. Chapter 12

"Does she have a fever?" Fiyero asked as Doctor Magi checked over the green woman.

"Yes, which she did not have before. Though I must admit her color has improved, so that is odd," the doctor frowned.

"Could she have cast a healing spell on herself?" Chistery wondered.

"She's done that before without slipping into this kind of state. Chistery, find the guards. Make sure that the last of Burcin's students is still locked inside her magic-proof cell," Fiyero said.

"Yes your Highness," the Flying Monkey quickly left.

"Should I send word to Glinda? The doctor has ordered her to remain resting but she'll never forgive anyone if something happens to Elphaba," Asli pointed out.

"Not yet. It could be an ordinary infection or simply the fact that she worked herself practically to the bone and didn't get a lot of rest. She literally ran out of magic, which I didn't think was entirely possible," Magi shook his head before calling for the nurse to start a cold bath.

"She took on five witches, that can't have been easy," Asli said.

"It certainly wasn't. If there was any question left regarding who is the most powerful in Oz, I think she answered it," Fiyero took his wife's hand and gave it a squeeze. She was in fact burning up.

"Gentlemen and ladies, how may I be of assistance?" Avantador appeared outside the window of the infirmary and scared almost everyone in the infirmary. A nurse quickly opened a window so the doctor would not have to shout.

"She has a raging fever but no physical wounds. I'm afraid battling all those witches was detrimental to her health," Magi explained. Avantador frowned and it was the first time they saw him overly concerned.

"It is worse than that doctor. I must go. Do whatever you can to keep her cool. I shall be back as quickly as I can," with that the dragon took flight sending dust and dirt into the air.

"What was all that about?" Asli asked.

"I have no…" Fiyero didn't get to finish that sentence as he doubled over.

"Your Highness!" Asli scooped him up and placed him into the nearest empty bed while Doctor Magi and the nurses came running.

"He's burning up!" The Captain of the Gale Force shouted. Doctor Magi yelled for another cold bath to be drawn.

"We need to get both of them out of their clothes and into the bath. The longer we keep them cool, the better the chance that Avantador has of getting answers from wherever he went to," the medical man said. Asli scooped up Elphaba and one of the soldiers lifted up Fiyero and rushed them to the rooms where the baths were being prepared.

As quickly as they could, the nurses got both patients down to their underwear and into the cold water. Elphaba began to thrash about and they tried to restrain her so she wouldn't hurt herself. Fiyero was in the same boat and it was hard to get them to calm down. Finally once they did, the nurses worked to keep the water temperatures low as they hoped their patients' fevers would break.

Meanwhile, Chistery had watched Avantador take to the skies and it made him nervous. Burcin's student had been spending a good amount of her time trying to use her magic to bust out of her special cell and so far it hadn't been working. She most definitely did not cast a spell on his friend.


	13. Chapter 13

Elphaba suddenly found herself not inside the Palace but out on the grounds. She thought it odd but considering she'd been practically dead on her feet it didn't exactly surprise her that she found herself wandering around looking for people to help. It wasn't until she came upon a soldier that was most definitely not Vinkun or Gale Force that she realized something was up. No one was charging at him, trying to contain him. He just stood there staring at the fires started out beyond the Palace gates. She was about to say something to him when a soldier walked right through him and didn't seem to notice.

"I'm dead," she murmured. The soldier heard her and turned toward her. He had a gaping wound in his shoulder that wasn't bleeding and surprisingly wasn't as grotesque as it should have been.

"I'm not sure if we are or not, though this shoulder wound would seem to indicate otherwise," he noted.

"How is this possible?" Elphaba asked.

"I have no idea. Though you are an incredibly powered witch so I suspect that has something to do with it," he said.

"Trust me they did not go over this at Shiz," she shook her head.

"Nor at my humble little school back home," he told her.

"Who are you? Where did you come from?" Elphaba asked.

"I am Bartholomew and I'm from a little Quadling border town called… huh… that's odd, I can't remember," he said.

"That is odd; then again we appear to be apparitions, anyway I'm Elphaba, Princess of the Vinkus," she told him.

"Nice to meet you. Where are we?" Bartholomew wanted to know.

"Nice to meet you too. We're in the Vinkun capital and at the Palace," she told him.

"How'd I get here?" He wondered.

"You marched here with a lot of other soldiers," Elphaba said.

"Me? A soldier?" Bartholomew shook his head and it was then that the green witch could see his form slowly fading. He was leaving this plane whether he knew it or not and his memory was fading quicker than he was

"You tried to take over the Palace. You were fighting with almost five thousand other soldiers," she tried to remind him. He looked at her completely confused. She noticed that his legs were almost gone and that soon he would entirely be gone. Looking down at herself, Elphaba saw that she was not fading. Somehow she was still attached to this mortal coil and her companion was not. Then a cloud formed over them and she looked up.

"Avantador!" She shouted and it was as if he could hear her.

"Princess! Get back to your body!" He told her. She was utterly confused as to how he'd heard her but she did as she was told working her way back to the last place she remembered being. When she arrived in the infirmary, she noticed she wasn't in a bed. She wandered the room, trying to figure out what had happened.

"Fae!" Fiyero looked in her direction and she could see that he was starting to disappear.

"Yero! Get back into your body!" She ordered him. He looked at her completely confused. She'd seen him that way before but this time was different. She rushed toward him and grabbed his arm, which she was somehow able to do. She moved toward the sound of the nurses shouting to find Fiyero's body in the bathtub even though he was slowly disappearing beside her. Giving him a shove, she watched him land in his body. A shout from Doctor Magi made her move toward the noise and found that she too was in a bathtub in a separate room. She jumped back into her own body hoping that whatever was going on was now over.


	14. Chapter 14

Suddenly, Elphaba bolted upright but instead of being in a tub she'd somehow managed to get into a bed and be dressed in some sort of loose gown. The doctor and the nurses were running around her and she began to wonder if anyone had noticed her. Her question was answered when Fiyero practically tackled her and pulled her close.

"Fae!" He was so glad she was back and while she was more than happy to see him, she was utterly confused.

"Yero! What is going on?" She asked him as he pulled away.

"I have no idea but we're alive," he said.

"Thank Oz. I was beginning to wonder if this was another weird occurrence," Elphaba shook her head. Fiyero pulled her in and kissed her.

"Definitely real," he said after they parted, practically breathless. She just nodded in reply. He handed her, her dress and she quickly headed into the nearby dressing area.

"Thank the Unnamed God!" Doctor Magi said as he came over to the two after Elphaba had gotten dressed and pulled them into a hug.

"What happened? How did we end up outside of our bodies?" Elphaba wanted to know. Doctor Magi gave her a look which basically said that he had no idea what she was talking about.

"Where's Avantador?" She asked.

"Outside waiting to see if that liquid he gave me worked. I'm guessing you want a word?" Doctor Magi smirked slightly.

"Someone definitely has some explaining to do," the green woman said. Fiyero followed her out into the hallway and out to the nearest balcony on the back of the Palace. There they found the dragon keeping a watchful eye out and Chistery sitting on his shoulder.

"Miss Elphaba!" Chistery was glad to see his friend up and about.

"Chistery, Fiyero and I need a word with Avantador," her tone was stern and the Flying Monkey knew she meant business. He merely nodded and headed off to find the Griffins. The dragon extended his hand and both Elphaba and Fiyero climbed into it. Then he lifted himself off the ground and away from prying ears. This made Elphaba wonder just what the dragon had to say and why he felt it necessary to hold a private conversation. Given his booming voice, she knew that he'd have to be at least a mile away from the Palace before his voice would be drowned out by the distance.

"Where are Fiyero and Elphaba?" Adalet asked Doctor Magi.

"They're speaking to Avantador. He left a few minutes ago," the medical man explained.

"They're all right? What happened?" The Queen wanted to know.

"Regrettably, I have no idea. Do you need something?" Magi wondered.

"Burcin's last student finally calmed down enough to give us her name and I wanted to run it by Elphaba in case she recognized it," Adalet admitted.

"What made her calm down? She was raving like a lunatic," the doctor was skeptical.

"I have no idea. I'm just glad she's still locked in her magic-proof cell," the Queen said. The doctor frowned. Too much had been going on lately without full explanations and it didn't sit well with him.

"I've seen that look before," Adalet told him.

"Let us hope that Princess Elphaba and Prince Fiyero will be back shortly. We need answers and we need them sooner rather than later. I have a bad feeling about this," Magi confessed.

"You and me both Doctor. You and me both," she nodded.


	15. Chapter 15

Much to the Doctor and the Queen relief, the Prince and Princess were back in about thirty minutes. Elphaba had a concerned look on her face and Fiyero had a confused one. There would be time for that later as Adalet whisked the witch away to the prisoner of war camp. Fiyero joined them mostly because he was curious. Somehow all the events of the last few weeks tied all together and he was sure that it wouldn't be with some nice neat little bow.

"She calls herself Seraphina. She refuses to give me either her last name or her country of origin. Does the name ring any bells?" Adalet wondered.

"No. We did not meet at Shiz. Did she seem to know me?" Elphaba asked.

"She called you the Wicked Witch so I figured not but I thought it couldn't hurt, especially if we could get background on her," the Queen shrugged.

"I can understand that. Though her four compatriots were not familiar to me either. The likelihood that all five were magically trained and not sent to Shiz is a bit…" the green woman trailed off.

"A bit what?" Fiyero asked. Elphaba did not respond as she stood in front of the woman penned inside the magical cage. She could not have been that old. Elphaba narrowed her eyes and cursed in Munchkin under her breath. While most Munchkins spoke the language of the Emerald City, something her father referred to as English, some spoke in varying dialects and despite the fact that Frex never wanted her to learn, she did.

"What is your age?" Elphaba turned to the prisoner. Seraphina raised an eyebrow unsure of what sorcery this was.

"I'm not interested in tricking you. What is your age?" The Princess tried again.

"Seventeen," she answered.

"And your friends? How old were they?" Elphaba wanted to know.

"Seventeen or eighteen," Seraphina replied. The green woman frowned.

"What do you care? You killed them all," the younger woman gave her a look.

"I assure you that I did not wish to do so. You and your army gave me little choice. My people were in danger. You speak to the Princess of the Vinkus, Grand Vizier of all of Oz, and you would be wise to remember that," Elphaba said. She didn't like to pull out her titles but it seemed like it was the only way to get the prisoner to listen.

"You are not my Princess nor are you my Grand Vizier. You are the daughter of the Wizard and by such you are a filthy whore, who was more than willing to carry out his orders. Mother warned us of you," Seraphina spat.

"For that you will suffer a fate worse than your friends or your soldiers," Elphaba shook her head and walked away. Quickly, Fiyero and Adalet followed her back to the Palace.

"Ok does someone want to explain what just happened?" Fiyero asked once they were inside Adalet's private study, the doors closed for privacy.

"I'm afraid that Seraphina's behavior only points to one thing and I do not say this lightly but it would seem the depths of Burcin's depravity truly knew no bounds," the green woman heaved a sigh.

"Seraphina called my mother her mother. Even fifteen years ago when she left the Palace, she would not have been able to bear children. Never mind five of them," Adalet shook her head.

"She brainwashed them. They'd have called her Cookie Monster if she'd told them so," Fiyero remarked.

"It's worse than that Yero. She stole these children and then brainwashed them. It's the only way they would be so fiercely loyal to her even after her death. Years of conditioning, not days or weeks or even months, but years," Elphaba explained.

"Great Oz," he said.


	16. Chapter 16

The information had been hard to swallow but Fiyero and Adalet knew she had to be right. Why continue to fight for a woman that was dead with such passion? Love could not have been the answer as there would be grief attached to it and Seraphina had yet to even show grief for her friends that had been lost, never mind the thousands of soldiers. Elphaba explained that psychological warfare is the worst kind. Once the mind is conditioned in such a manner, breaking it free again would be hard, if not impossible. The person would have had to have been strong and considering that they were little children when Burcin kidnapped them, they had no chance.

Freeing the soldiers should be easier as Elphaba theorized that they had had a spell cast on them. With only Seraphina holding on, her power would wane as she tried to continue to keep the spell up. As soldiers died the residual power transferred to those that were alive which basically made those left like wild wounded animals. There was a knock on the door of the study and Fiyero got up to check it.

"Doctor, is something the matter?" The Prince asked.

"Just wanted to speak to my two miracle patients. That and the cook says that dinner is almost ready," Magi smiled.

"My appetite isn't what it should be," Adalet confessed.

"Mine either," Elphaba heaved a sigh.

"Stomachs in a knot?" Magi wanted to know.

"More like minds are turning their stomachs," Fiyero ushered the man inside and closed the door. Adalet quickly brought him up to speed.

"That would explain a lot. I'm getting reports from the medical tent that soldiers are waking up very confused from their surgeries. Seems like trauma is one way to break the spell," the doctor commented, graciously not bringing up Burcin.

"Being unconscious must be the way to break it. I'll dig into my spell books and see what I can come up with," Elphaba said.

"Before you do all that, I need to make sure you and the Prince are all right. You went from being comatose with raging fevers to awake and flying off with a dragon in no time flat. What was that stuff that Avantador gave me to give to you?" He wanted to know.

"It's complicated Doc," Fiyero said.

"Son, I've been keeping you healthy since you were knee high to a grasshopper. There is nothing I know of that would cure you like that," Magi gave him a look.

"I'm afraid that magic is involved. While Fiyero doesn't possess powers, the blood oath with the dragon gave him a little leg up on the competition. Me on the other hand, I was powerful before but now I truly worry what I might become," Elphaba swallowed. Both Adalet and Magi looked at her, thoroughly confused.

"Avantador said that the blood oath increases my magic. The problem with that is, is that it saps life out of the others included in the blood oath. Now me sapping a little dragon life isn't such a big deal. However, sapping from Fiyero is a very bad idea. I could shorten his lifespan which I most certainly do not want to do," she continued.

"Is there any way to stop that?" Adalet was very concerned.

"No. Once a blood oath is sworn with a dragon, you're stuck for life. It has never been an issue for the Kings and Queens of the past because they were not magically inclined. They lived long healthy lives, probably longer than one should, but heart failure at one hundred isn't exactly something that too many people worry about," Elphaba smirked slightly despite the topic.

"So that liquid?" Magi asked.

"Avantador said it was something that his ancestors had cooked up for occasions such as these. Apparently, it is kept hidden for a reason. He would not tell us what it was or where he got it," Fiyero jumped in.

"I do not like the sound of that…" the Royal Physician said.

"We're not thrilled either. We did what we had to do in a moment that was necessary and it has proved useful but also dangerous. We must be careful in our dealings with Seraphina and the other prisoners. If I am to try and use too much of my magic again so soon after the last time, it could be disastrous," the Princess admitted. Before anyone could say anything else, there was shouting and pounding footsteps out in the hallway. Suddenly, the door burst open and there stood a soldier, blood on his uniform.

"You must come quickly! Captain Asli has been shot!"


	17. Chapter 17

Everyone rushed down to the infirmary where the head nurse, a no-nonsense older woman named Bethany, had already taken control. She had just as much skill as Doctor Magi and she was ordering the other nurses to bring her what she needed. The Captain was bleeding profusely from a wound in his stomach. Elphaba moved forward without thinking and stepped in. Bethany had a relieved look on her face as the witch quickly cast a healing spell. The bleeding slowed though the wound continued to bleed as it did not close entirely.

"The bullet must still be in there," Elphaba said.

"Allow me," Bethany stepped in and quickly grabbed a knife that was small enough to do the job. Carefully, the nurse made the wound a little larger and used her fingers to remove the offending object. Elphaba went to cast another spell but she suddenly felt lightheaded. Fiyero caught her and Bethany quickly went about fixing up the Captain, unable to leave him with a hole in his stomach.

"What happened?" Fiyero asked.

"Too much too quickly," she said as he helped her to a nearby chair.

"How did the Captain get shot?" Magi wanted to know.

"One of the prisoners started a fight and the Captain tried to break it up. Then shots rang out. My men ended it. The guy who shot the Captain is dead," Sergeant Licek told them.

"The spell that Seraphina and her friends cast is powerful. Check every prisoner for weapons again. This is going to get worse before it gets better," Elphaba spoke up.

"I have the Griffins enforcing their personalities on the prisoners," Licek smirked.

"Good call. Yero, I need a huge favor," the green woman said.

"Anything Fae," he gave her a slight smile.

"I need something to stop this and I need my spell books," she told him.

"Still dizzy?" Fiyero asked.

"The floor shouldn't be moving like this," she admitted. One of the nurses handed her a bucket and the poor woman brought up whatever was in her stomach.

"I'll get some medicine," Bethany smiled as the other nurses and soldiers moved the Captain to an empty bed. The head nurse cleaned herself up and came back with something for Elphaba's nausea.

"I don't like pry Princess but dizziness happens to one such as yourself when one hasn't been listening to one's body," the roundabout way the nurse said it, made Elphaba wonder if she was losing her mind too. Seeing her confusion, Bethany clarified.

"How's Aunt Rosie?" Elphaba's eyes went wide. She shook her head and immediately regretted it. Grabbing the bucket, she emptied her stomach again.

"I can't… no way…" between the war and the dragon she hadn't thought about that.

"Let me run a simple test. We want to at least rule it out. I don't want to give you medicine that could harm you or the possible little one," Bethany said, handing her another dose of nausea medicine.

"Ok," the green girl's mouth dried up as the nausea slowly began to fade. It wasn't long before the nurse came back with a cup. Elphaba raised an eyebrow.

"Fill this with urine," Bethany smiled and the girl gave her another look.

"Once you can stand on your feet," she winked and the Elphaba stashed the cup under her chair as Fiyero came up to her, arms full of books. He dumped them on the nearest bed.

"Feeling better?" He asked, concerned.

"Not quite," she said.


	18. Chapter 18

The next morning Fiyero woke up to find Elphaba sitting at the window. He felt the bed and it was cold. She hadn't been there in a while. Climbing out of bed, he noticed the floor felt cool and quickly slipped on his slippers and robe. He grabbed a blanket off the chest at the end of the bed and wrapped it around his wife.

"You need to keep your strength up. How much did you sleep?" He asked, noticing the circles under her eyes.

"I didn't. Yero… I…" Tears started to slip down her cheeks.

"What is it?" He was worried.

"What have we gotten ourselves into? I could have killed you," she said.

"Hey, we are in this for the long haul. It isn't something my forefathers didn't already do. If they were fine, we'll be fine," Fiyero smiled and wiped away her tears.

"Yero, no offense, but your forefathers didn't have magical powers," Elphaba pointed out.

"True. You have all those books, you have that awesome thing between your ears, and you are the most powerful witch in all of Oz. I figure you have a leg up," he chuckled. She smiled at him.

"Why don't you try to get some sleep and I'll see about scaring up some breakfast?" Fiyero suggested.

"You and food," Elphaba chuckled.

"Can't do anything on an empty stomach," he laughed as he scooped her up and put her into the bed before covering her up.

"Sleep and I'll be back," Fiyero leaned down and kissed her temple before scooting out of their room. Elphaba absently moved her hands down to her abdomen. The test that Bethany was running wasn't done yet and for now there was no point in getting Fiyero's hopes and her fears up. There was too much going on. She couldn't fathom it to be honest. If she was in fact pregnant, the child could be green. She would not wish that on anyone even though the child would be a Prince or Princess it would not stop the ridicule. Heaving a sigh, she tried to do as her husband asked.

"The cook said you were down here again making a mess," Adalet said from the doorway of the kitchen.

"Making a mess? I resent that," Fiyero smirked as he continued to focus on the pancakes.

"It's all right. I think Edward missed you coming down here. He often mentioned to me that you had missed your calling," his mother smirked too.

"Oh I don't know. I managed to get the woman of my dreams out of the path I took. I think it worked out pretty good," Fiyero smiled as he piled the pancakes onto a plate.

"How is she?" Adalet wanted to know.

"She didn't sleep much. She's worried about this arrangement we have with Avantador," he admitted.

"It makes me nervous too. Doctor Magi is just as nervous if not more," his mother pointed out.

"I know but Fae will know what to do. She always does," he said.

"You don't seem so worried considering what happened," his mother was shocked.

"I can't worry. There are more important things to think about. We've got prisoners, a crazy witch, and the Captain has been shot. We can worry about us when it's over," Fiyero finished putting everything onto a tray.

"You sound like Elphaba," Adalet chuckled. It did not relieve her concern but she understood.

"She rubs off on you," he smirked. Moving towards the door, he could hear footsteps and quickly dodged the door as it opened. He ducked out and headed for his wife, leaving his mother to deal with Sergeant Licek.

"What is it Sergeant?" The Queen asked.

"More and more prisoners are asking what they are doing here and what is going on. I figured you'd want to know," he said.

"Seraphina's hold is loosening. Excellent news, thank you," Adalet smiled.


	19. Chapter 19

After breakfast and quick shower, Elphaba was making her way downstairs with Fiyero when Chistery met them on the large staircase near the front entrance. Elphaba could tell something was up and she asked him flat out what was going on.

"Seraphina is in and out of consciousness. The doctors want to take a look but are afraid to, in case she's faking," the Flying Monkey explained.

"I'm on my way. We'll get this sorted out. What about the soldiers?" She wanted to know.

"Most are very confused as to what they are doing here and are asking about friends and family. We've had to tell them everything that has happened. Some seem surprised while others seem confused. There are a few who we can't peg down," Chistery told them as they exited the palace.

"We have to assume that they are all dangerous until we can prove otherwise. While Seraphina and her friend cast a spell, that does not mean that deep down there aren't those who are out to see the end of the Arjiki reign or to see me dead. Tell Sergeant Licek to have everyone on high alert," Elphaba said. Chistery nodded and took off for the camp, knowing he'd beat them there.

"How do we tell who was dragged into it and who joined voluntarily or as voluntary as they could?" Fiyero asked.

"I have a spell for a truth serum. It might be the only way to do it. We'd have to make a very large batch," she told him, trying to do the math in her head.

"It might not matter once my mother has to make her decision. Those that remain must pay for the crimes they have committed," he pointed out.

"The serum would be the best way to help your mother make the decision. I didn't bring it up before because I only just found it while I was digging through my potions book," Elphaba explained.

"Well let's handle Seraphina first and then we'll figure out what is next," Fiyero said. His wife only nodded as she was already deep in thought about the young witch. There had to be a spell she could use on her to bring back memories but she wasn't sure…

"My Prince and Princess, it is good to see you," Baki smiled as he opened the gates for them at the prisoner camp.

"Hello Baki. How are things?" Fiyero asked.

"Much calmer than they were," he admitted as they walked toward the area where Seraphina was being held.

"Well since you're a Griffin, I bet things got calm in a hurry," the Prince chuckled.

"That and Avantador. They seem much more afraid of him now than they did a few days ago," Baki said. Fiyero nodded.

"Being a dragon, I bet. How is Seraphina?" Elphaba inquired.

"She's unconscious. The soldiers poked her with a stick to make sure she wasn't faking it but everyone is still waiting on you to be safe," Baki explained.

"Poked her with a stick?" The green woman gave him a look.

"Best barometer there is according to Private Schultz," the Griffin shrugged. Elphaba shook her head and moved to the magically enhanced cage. Seraphina was in fact unconscious and the doctors were checking her pulse and her pupils.

"It seems that she has slipped into a coma," Doctor Magi frowned. Elphaba whispered a few words and little bolts of electricity came out of her fingertips and poked and prodded Seraphina. There was hardly a reaction from the captive witch.

"That would seem to be the best description for it though I believe that it is a little more complicated. Having used all of her energy and the residual energy from the deaths of her comrades and the strengthening of the spell with every soldier's death, she is now in a very very deep sleep. Only once her powers have regenerated, will she wake. This will be a hazardous time. It is not uncommon for those who have expended too much energy to never wake up. They fall into a permanent sleep. Their bodies wither and die and they are helpless to stop it," Elphaba explained.

"So what do we do?" Magi wanted to know.

"We take this opportunity to round up all the soldiers. I need a large cauldron, a fire, and some special ingredients. It is time to give them their medicine," the green witch told them.


	20. Chapter 20

"You do know that Glinda is going to kill me right?" Elphaba asked as she sat down next to Captain Asli's infirmary bed. It had been two days since she had given the prisoners the truth serum and the Captain was finally well enough to talk.

"Because I got shot?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Partly. The other part would be the fact that you didn't even have to fight in battle which in turn means she will think that she could have been here to help even though we both know better," she chuckled.

"Point. I will probably never live it down," Asli chuckled too and then regretted it as he gasped for air.

"Still sore?" Elphaba ran her hands over the bandages and chanted a spell. She hadn't been able to help him before but now she could have since she'd been able to rest.

"Not anymore," Asli marveled.

"You'll still have a scar but it won't be nearly as big as it could have been," she smiled.

"Chicks dig scars or so I've been told," he said uncertainly and Elphaba just laughed.

"Glinda will want to make it all better, I can assure you," she said.

"So other than not writing my wife, what have I missed?" The Captain wanted to know.

"I concocted a potion and we fed it to all the prisoners. A good number of them did not want to go to war and certainly would not have done so willingly. Burcin created an army using magic with the help of those that actually wanted to go to war. We've separated the ones that were on Burcin's side from the start and the Queen is deciding their fate. The others are being jailed for a period until their families can be located and the Queen can decide what to do with them," the witch explained.

"How did the non-magical humans assist in growing the army?" Asli wanted to know.

"Mostly by kidnapping. Some were strong armed. Told that if they didn't join, they would watch their family die and then they would be killed," Elphaba shook her head.

"Boy they certainly know how to start conscription," Asli sighed.

"Yes well that meant Seraphina and her friends had to use a spell to get them to fight. They didn't know about Avantador or the Griffins but it didn't matter since the troops were enchanted anyway," she said.

"What of Seraphina?" The Captain asked.

"She remains in a comatose state after using so much energy. The longer she does the more I fear she will never come out of it," Elphaba shook her head.

"She helped kill thousands of men. I think she does not deserve your pity. She may have been kidnapped and turned into a monster but that does not excuse what she did," he reminded her.

"It just breaks my heart that I will not be able to help her. She has a gift and it could be used for good but no matter what you are right. She aided in the murder of thousands. She must pay for her crimes," she heaved a sigh.

"She cannot go free and the others not. After all, even those who had no powers are being punished in one way or another," Asli took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze before continuing,

"Where is Fiyero?"

"He's working with his mother and the leaders of the troops to find the best way to handle all of the prisoners," Elphaba said.

"And the stuff with Avantador?" He asked.

"Still worrying about that," she nodded.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Asli gave her a look. Elphaba opened her mouth and then closed it again.

"I knew it. What happened?" The Captain worried for his friend.

"I'm pregnant," she told him.


	21. Chapter 21

Later that evening, Elphaba was in bed reading more spell books, trying to find a way to either bring Seraphina out of the comatose state or to somehow aid in finding the troops' families. The young witch was still being watched carefully but she had yet to move a muscle and the more Elphaba read, the more she figured that only one person could do anything about it and that was Seraphina.

The door to the bedroom creaked open and in walked Fiyero. He looked absolutely exhausted and Elphaba put down her book before climbing out of bed. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Long day?" She asked.

"Not as long as my mother's. In the end she'll have to make the final decision," he pointed out.

"Has anyone thought of classifying the unwilling participants as prisoners of war? They would be tried for any crimes that were discovered but those that did not commit crimes would just be sent home," Elphaba wondered.

"The argument was made for that but some pointed out that we weren't at war when this whole thing started. It is they who declared war and as Vinkuns committed treason. Those that are not Vinkun are being sent back to their own governments to be dealt with and permanently banned from ever entering the Vinkus again. They enter the country and they will be executed," he explained.

"Well that will dwindle the number of prisoners," she nodded.

"Yes and those who were more than willing to participate, are being charged with treason. There is no way that they will be found not guilty so executions will begin probably next week," Fiyero heaved a sigh. Elphaba led him to the bed and he plopped down on it.

"What about you? Things going well in the spell department?" He asked, pulling her to him so that the front of her legs rested on the mattress in between his legs.

"Most of the spells I found won't help and I don't even want to look in the Grimmerie," she admitted.

"Why not? I think we've proven that the spells in there aren't as permanent as they were supposed to be," Fiyero winked as he slowly began to unbutton his shirt.

"Yes because we need more dragon in our lives," she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms before backing away from him and sitting down near her pillow.

"Well I suppose you have a point. What about looking in the Grimmerie about spells and potions involving dragons?" He wondered.

"When the prisoners are sorted out, then yes, it will probably be the only place to check," Elphaba nodded. Fiyero now had his shirt off and was digging around for the top to his pajamas when he felt his wife grab his arm. He looked back at her and waggled his eyebrows.

"Yero…" she said somewhat sternly.

"What?" He asked feigning innocence.

"You know what," she pointed to her still flat stomach.

"Amazing isn't it? We're going to be parents," Fiyero moved up close and put a hand on her midsection.

"Amazing? What if the child is green? What if I'm a terrible mother?" Elphaba was obviously concerned.

"These are the same concerns you had the other day and my answer is still the same. We'll love the child whether it is green or not and you will be an amazing mother," he said.

"It's good you're taking my concerns to heart," she told him.

"I am but I know that no matter what, we'll be doing this together. You're never alone anymore Fae," he smiled and leaned in to kiss her forehead. She heaved a sigh.

"Mom is so excited to be having a grandbaby. It has picked her mood up considerably. I know it is going to be scary but you've taken on witches, armies, and mythical creatures. You'll be all calm and I'll be the one panicking," Fiyero chuckled. She laughed and pulled him close.

"What did I do to deserve you?" Elphaba asked.

"I think you have that backwards," he said before he kissed her.


	22. Chapter 22

"Good people of the Vinkus, I come to you with a difficult decision," Queen Adalet spoke from the balcony of the Palace which overlooked the lower town. They had all gathered to hear her decree the following afternoon.

"Thanks to the Princess, we were able to determine those that committed treason from those who were unfortunately brought into battle against their will. Trials will commence tomorrow and executions will follow shortly. The last witch who survived the battle will remain in our custody until such time that she can participate in their own defense," she continued.

"Burn the witch!" Someone shouted and others joined in. Elphaba swallowed hard, remembering the days that those same words had been shouted at her. Fiyero squeezed her hand.

"Everyone is entitled to a fair trial. Though I have little doubt she will be found guilty," Adalet told them. This seemed to placate the crowd.

"The remaining prisoners shall be put to work fixing our walls and cleaning up the rubble," Adalet said.

"They're killers! Why do they get off so easily?!" An angry cry went up from the crowd. Many brave soldiers had been killed and they wanted justice which was understandable.

"They were coerced and used. They had no control over their actions thanks to the witches that the Princess defeated. They cannot be held completely liable for their actions. Hard labor is no walk in the park and they will remain in our custody until all the work is done. Afterwards, their names will go on a list and they will be checked on periodically by the troops in their hometowns," the Queen explained.

"My boy is dead because of them!" A woman wailed in the crowd.

"I understand your pain. Believe me I do. I am trying to heal our nation the best way I know how. More violence and death will not help. Those that are ultimately responsible for the entire tragedy will get what is coming to them, I promise," she said. She had been surprisingly upfront with them. Most monarchies did not believe in listening to their subjects but it was clear that Adalet wanted to change that. It was also clear her people had no problem beginning the dialog. Fiyero moved to try and bolster his mother's position but Elphaba stopped him. Adalet was an amazingly strong woman and she needed to show the people that despite everything that was going on, she could hold her own. They were all rewarded when an ordinary citizen from the crowd moved out in front of the group.

"Long live the Queen!" He shouted and raised his fist high into the air.

"Long live the Queen!" Almost everyone in crowd responded and it was shouted a few more times. Elphaba knew that not everyone would be happy with the final decision but that was to be expected. Now however, both Fiyero and she moved closer behind the Queen to show their support. It wasn't exactly needed as the Griffins and Avantador joined in the chant. The three royals then headed inside.

Captain Asli met them in the Queen's study and they had tea. Dinner would be served in about an hour and the Captain was going to join them along with Sergeant Licek and Lieutenant Ash who would be arriving soon. Glinda had sent him so that Asli could return home. Ash would take over command of the Gale Force soldiers who remained in keeping the peace. Adalet hoped that all the Gale Force soldiers would be able to go home soon and that her own people could handle the watchful eye on the prisoners while they worked.

"I am prepared to leave in the morning and head for the Emerald City. I understand that Chistery and his brothers will be joining me on the trip?" He asked.

"Indeed. Between Avantador and the Griffins, I believe that they should offer you protection on your trip back. Please allow me to thank them for their assistance before you leave," Adalet said.

"Of course. I think they will want to wait and say goodbye to the Princess before we go," Asli winked at her.

"I shall want to thank them as well," Elphaba smiled.

"Excellent. Now shall we adjourn to the dining room? Sergeant Licek promised to meet us there and I would imagine that Lieutenant Ash will be here soon," Adalet smiled.

"Sounds good your Majesty. I will join you shortly, I need to take care of something first," the Princess explained. The Queen nodded and the green woman slipped out of the room in search of Avantador.


	23. Chapter 23

"Seraphina is awake, your majesties" Sergeant Licek announced as he walked into the dining room while Elphaba and Fiyero were eating breakfast. It had been three days since Captain Asli went home to Lady Glinda and the Emerald City.

"That's surprising," Elphaba said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well she's awake but not exactly coherent," the Sergeant admitted.

"Pardon?" Fiyero asked, it was his turn to raise an eyebrow.

"She's just mumbling but her eyes are open and she looks people in the eye," Licek shrugged.

"Good thing she can't cast any spells from inside her cage," Fiyero smiled.

"Despite the fact that she is semi-awake, from what I've read, she still wouldn't be powerful enough to cast a spell. Waking up takes a lot of energy. Well you know Yero, sometimes being magical isn't all it's cracked up to be," Elphaba put another spoonful of eggs into her mouth.

"She's had some rough days," Fiyero explained to Licek.

"Well what do we do with Seraphina?" The Sergeant asked.

"I'll be down after breakfast. Hopefully, she'll be more with it, in a little bit," the Princess said.

"Very good. Where is the Queen?" Licek wanted to know.

"She's meeting with her advisors regarding the logistics of having so many trials, of course the image of it all, and the next steps," Fiyero smiled. The Sergeant nodded and headed back off to his job. The Prince turned to the love of his life and gave her a look.

"What?" She asked without looking up from her food. She was eating more than usual which made him smile.

"You think you're ready for crazy lady?" He wanted to know.

"How many times have we gone up against crazy people? Come on now," Elphaba smirked.

"I suppose you're right. What was I thinking?" Fiyero chuckled.

"Well you do have the reputation for being brainless," she teased.

"I see how it is. Just because you've saved the day aa-gain, you think you can treat me like I'm just a fashion accessory," he said.

"You are never a fashion accessory, Yero, my hero. You are the reason I save the day because you saved mine," Elphaba leaned over and put her head on his shoulder.

"Love you," he said before kissing the top of her head.

"Love you too," she said. Fiyero reached over and snagged some of her breakfast. She smacked his hand and quickly finished her breakfast. There was work to be done.

"She's still mumbling," Licek shrugged.

"I'll get it out of her," Elphaba clenched her fists. The whole thing bothered her but there was nothing she could do. Now, the only way to save the soul of the witch before her was to get her to admit what she'd done. It would not save her life and maybe it would be cruel but she had little choice.

"You and me, we're going to have a little chat," she said, sitting in the chair offered by the Sergeant.

"Why? You know what they're going to do to me," Seraphina gave her a look, nary a mumble between them.

"Because you need to believe what you have done is wrong. Because I need to know that you have some good in you," Elphaba told her.

"Selfish of you," Seraphina said.

"Perhaps. But remorse could go a long way during the trial. Real remorse. Not faking it," the green woman narrowed her eyes. Seraphina narrowed hers. It was going to be a long day.


	24. Chapter 24

Three days would pass before the Queen started ordering trials of the ones who helped start the war. Three more days would pass before executions would begin. Elphaba had written Glinda to check in on Asli and how she was doing, along with promising to be back in the Emerald City as quickly as she could. She made a point of telling her friend the good news, she was to have a child and that she and Fiyero were very excited. Conveniently, however, she left out the portion regarding the dragon.

Her talk with Avantador about a week prior had revealed some things that she wasn't quite sure how to handle but she was quite sure that it did not belong in a letter that could be intercepted. Now she sat on the window seat in the bedroom she shared with Fiyero, absentmindedly resting her hand on what would be their first child, as she watched the work being done on the Palace walls. Fiyero, as Prince, had a duty to watch the executions which would cease at dusk, but that was at least another hour away. The Queen was avoiding them at all costs because she hated them despite knowing they were necessary.

A knock brought Elphaba from her thoughts and back into reality. She beckoned the person on the other side of the door to enter and was surprised when it was the Queen. Her mother-in-law took a seat next to her and smiled.

"How are you holding up?" Adalet wanted to know.

"I'm not quite sure how to answer that one," Elphaba admitted.

"Why?" The Queen asked.

"I grilled Seraphina for twelve hours. Despite that and the fact that I tried to use my magic on her, she still refused to admit anything. She'll be sentenced tomorrow and we all know what the verdict will be. Even with guaranteed death staring her right in the face, she was defiant. I have no explanation for it," the green woman sighed.

"My mother was a destructive force. Those kids she kidnapped and convince to help her never had a chance," Adalet admitted.

"My father was a bastard. Once my mother died, there would be no convincing him I was worth more than something he scraped off his shoe and he let me know it, whether it was physically or mentally. Yet I managed to pull myself out. Why couldn't they?" Elphaba asked.

"They didn't have Glinda or Fiyero or Boq or even Nessarose to help them," Adalet said. Elphaba nodded. She had had friends who pulled her up; Seraphina and her comrades had not. Brainwashed by the only person who was their contact; someone who had probably used her powers too.

"There isn't anything to be done for her now. We have to turn our focus forward," Elphaba told her.

"Yes but hard to do when you've still got dragon troubles," the Queen pointed out.

"They're irreversible. Avantador had never seen the Grimmerie before but when I showed it to him, asking if he knew of a spell that could change the oath we swore, he shook his head. The words that I could read on the page, that no one else could, they are in dragon. Only someone called a Dragonlord can read and speak dragon. It would appear that I am the only remaining such person. Therefore whether we had done the blood oath or not, my fate is tied to that of the dragon," the green woman explained.

"What do you mean your fate?" Adalet asked.

"Avantador said as a child of two worlds, my power was foretold to be the greatest there was. The lesser known portion of that prophecy is that said child would be the last of the Dragonlords. It seems fitting considering that Avantador is the last of the dragons," Elphaba said.

"So it explains a lot but the blood oath…" the Queen was a little confused.

"I am already bonded to the dragons therefore the blood oath only made it permanent. Fiyero's blood mixed with mine. It's permanent. Even when we tried to do something good, it blew up in our faces," the Princess heaved a sigh.

"Well then the only thing to do is embrace it," Adalet said.

"And manage to not kill my husband," Elphaba pointed out.


	25. Chapter 25

It would take almost a month before the trials that were being held finished up. There were many who were executed and only a few who managed to escape death by receiving long prison sentences. The remainder of the troops spent the next two months working on the wall. Once the snow began to fall however, they had to stop as none of them were outfitted with proper winter gear. The Queen ordered that they be provided with such items and the Vinkun soldiers scrounged up old winter uniforms for them. Adalet offered compensation to anyone in the lower town who could come to the Palace and take the time to remove anything that made it an actual soldier's uniform. Then the prisoner numbers were sown on so that there could be no doubt.

Before the snow started to fall Fiyero and Elphaba returned to the Emerald City. The latter had been neglecting her job and Glinda was asking to see her friend as well, especially since she'd had her baby and that the green woman and the Prince were the child's godparents. The blonde had desperately wanted a girl, however a son was born and though she couldn't dress him up in pink, she doted on him and loved him just the same. Asli was looking forward to all the things that fathers and sons did together and had been asking Fiyero for advice. The Captain of the Guard had lost his father at an early age and did not have the chance to do all the things that a father and son would usually do. The Prince had been more than happy to write some things down for him.

Elphaba wasn't due until late spring but her body had already made it difficult to get around. Fiyero said that pregnancy looked good on her but Elphaba begged to differ. Doctor Sebastian ordered her on bed rest; he was concerned given her age, her skin condition, and the fact that her medical history was in question after the incident back in the Vinkus. The months passed and soon it was almost time for the baby to come.

"Doctor Sebastian isn't sure if I should have the baby naturally," Elphaba said to Fiyero as he helped her out of bed and toward the bathroom.

"How else would you…" he started unsure of where this was going.

"Well there are other ways. I'm sure that you didn't see them though in the Vinkus. The doctor is concerned given the issue with our connection with the blood oath," she explained as they reached the door.

"Ah yes. We've haven't been having issues but you haven't been using your magic either," he admitted.

"Exactly. I…" Elphaba paused.

"What is it?" Fiyero asked, worried when she stopped mid-sentence.

"Looks like the baby has other ideas," she said. He looked down at her dress and the floor and discovered what was once dry was now wet.

"OK, ok. Let's make our way back to the bed and I'll get the doctor," Fiyero told her.

"Good call," she nodded as she waddled to the bed with his help. He kissed her forehead and then ran out of the room. She could have sworn she heard him screaming down the hall to anyone who could hear that the baby was coming.

"He was right. He lost his cool," Elphaba chuckled and then regretted it as the baby made its presence known.

"All right little one. I get it. Just give the doctor or minute or two," she begged. A minute or two was all it took for Doctor Sebastian to get there.

"Fiyero help me get her onto her back, I need to check a few things," he said. Fiyero nodded and helped as gently and quickly as he could. Then the doctor took a look at the situation. It still made Fiyero uncomfortable to have another man looking at his wife's intimate areas.

"It's going to be awhile. Try to relax and I'll get everything we need. I would rather transport you to the infirmary but perhaps this is better since the baby is going to take their time," Sebastian smiled and left the room quickly.

"I can't believe it. We're going to be parents," Fiyero said, sitting next to her and taking her hand.

"Yes, we are," Elphaba nodded.

"We still haven't picked out a name," he worried knowing their shortened list wasn't really that short.

"It'll come to us when the little one is born," she said. He nodded and tried to make sure she was comfortable. Five hours later, Doctor Sebastian introduced little baby Isabelle Tiggular into the world. She was the most beautiful thing that they'd ever seen. While Elphaba breathed a sigh of relief that her daughter wasn't green, she also was glad that nothing happened with her magic. Exhausted, she fell asleep after her long day, her family nearby and a new chapter about to begin.

**THE END**


End file.
